The back-end databases of multi-tiered applications are a major data security concern for enterprises. The abundance of these systems and the emergence of new and different threats require multiple and overlapping security mechanisms. Therefore, providing multiple and diverse database intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) is a critical…

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives of nine exemplary graduates of one Education Service Center's Alternative Teacher Certification program (ACP) to determine factors contributing to their smooth transition into the field of education and their rapid success as a classroom teacher. Data were collected through interviews and…

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that contribute to teachers' career longevity. The study gives voice to nine experienced teachers to help understand the challenges these teachers faced, the satisfaction they obtained, and the opportunities that allowed them to remain at one school for ten years or more. I use the lenses of…

This study examined the perceptions of 10 African American 12th-grade students from one suburban high school regarding their high school career counseling experiences. The purpose was to better understand how students perceive their career counseling interactions and to ascertain what factors were relevant in the counseling relationship. An…

The global financial system appears to be heading for a major financial crisis. This crisis is being driven by a growing global debt. This crisis is not limited to nations that are heavily in debt such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy or Cyprus but to such others as the United States. While there has been a great deal of emphasis on…

The purpose of this study was to test how well social cognitive career theory (SCCT) explains the effects of an introductory freshman year science course on the career perspectives of African American males at a large, public mid-Atlantic state university. Embracing SCCT as the foundation of this project, the dissertation intended to gather data…

The purpose of this study was to investigate if a relationship existed between an at risk high school student's perceived relationship with the Algebra I teacher and the student's academic performance and attendance in Algebra I. A correlational study design was used to investigate this study. One hundred thirty eight students who were…

This study uses a mixed methods research design to explore the relationship between institutional financial aid practice and graduation rates at a subset of private, non-profit four-year colleges and universities and explores how institutions prioritize allocations to financial aid within the framework of institutional mission, culture, and…

This dissertation uses a mixed-methods design to examine persistence into the second year by students' parental education level. The institution selected for this dissertation is Temple University, a large, urban, public university in the Northeast. Using Tinto's (1993) model of student departure as a conceptual framework, the…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine instructor and student attitudes towards the use of the graphing calculator in the developmental mathematics classroom. A focus of the study was to see if instructors or students believed there were changes in the conceptual understanding of mathematics as a result of graphing calculator…

This study investigated the lived experiences of students in one Early College High School (ECHS) in southeast Texas. A qualitative narrative inquiry was implemented and data were collected through individual interviews. Eight students participated in the narratives. Study findings suggested ECHS students may not always have a clear understanding…

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the differences in comfort with technology in middle school counselors in South Carolina. The researcher's goal was to determine the effects of years of experience, technology training, gender, and age on middle school counselors' comfort with technology. After a review of literature,…

Speaking assessments for second language learners have traditionally been expensive to administer because of the cost of rating the speech samples. To reduce the cost, many researchers are investigating the potential of using automatic speech recognition (ASR) as a means to score examinee responses to open-ended prompts. This study examined the…

The late 1800s have been noted as a major transitional period for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When the beleaguered pioneers first arrived in Utah they were isolated from the influence and expectations of the United States. During that time, leaders of the Church became influential in every aspect of life in Utah. By the end of…

The importance of a smooth transition from eighth grade to ninth grade is critical as this transition can have a lasting impact on a student's success or failures beyond high school. Studies in this body of research suggest that ninth grade students lead the list of high school grade students when it comes to tardiness, the number of…